German MPs sue Merkel govt. for complicity in US assassination of Gen. Soleimani

This file photo shows a US Predator drone at a US military airbase in southern Afghanistan, 2006. (Photo by Getty)

Eight German lawmakers from the country's Left Party have filed a criminal complaint against German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her government for complicity in US assassination of Iran's General Qassem Soleimani.

The complaint claims that the US Air force's Ramstein base in western Germany, believed to be used to control drones over Africa and the Middle East, was part of the operation that led to the general's assassination.

“The control signals for the drone attack can only have been transmitted via a satellite relay station on German territory, the US airbase in Ramstein,” MP Alexander Neu said in a statement.

“We cannot continue to accept that the federal government itself breaks international law by enabling and supporting the illegal US drone war,” Neu added.

Illustration shows how pilots situated in the US carry out illegal drone strikes in the Middle East and Africa by a satellite relay station in Ramstein, Germany. (Image by The Intercept)

The Left Party accused the Merkel government of “abetting" the US operation by its "negligence" on the matter.

A copy of the complaint posted on the website of Neu specifically targets Merkel along with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer and “other members of the federal government”.

In the early hours of January 3, General Soleimani was assassinated by a US drone strike shortly after arriving at Baghdad International Airport on a formal visit to the country.

Washington's unprovoked and illegal targeting of the senior Iranian official, who was also the region's most popular anti-terror commander, greatly heightened tensions, bringing the region to the brink of war.

The assassination also drew the condemnation of leaders across the region and beyond. Numerous major rallies commemorating General Soleimani were also held worldwide.

On January 8, Iran officially responded to the US assassination by firing a volley of ballistic missiles at the US-occupied Ain al-Assad base in Iraq and another outpost in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan.

Despite initial US claim that the attack resulted in no casualties, the Trump administration has since gradually announced injuries from the Iranian retaliatory attack, most recently saying that 110 US troops have suffered from “traumatic brain injuries”.

Washington has also backed down from responding to Iran's retaliatory attack despite earlier remarks by President Donald Trump that the US would "quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner" to any Iranian operation.

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